Better Care

Yesterday I picked my father up from Brooklyn and we drove back to Long Island. I brought in a sandwich for us to share for lunch. We ate it all and then went to sit in the living room and read. That is our usual routine. He reads, naps, reads, naps. After a few naps, we had a funny conversation. He said that if he knew he was going to live this long, he would have taken better care of himself. I looked at him and laughed. He is 96 years old. He still walks, talks, eats and has a better memory than I do. He never exercised and ate salty foods his whole life. He totally disregards the menu he has been advised to eat from the dialysis center. The people that eat healthy and exercise regularly die at an earlier age than 96. Maybe in the long run, better care is no care.

Losing Time

I no longer know the time in years. I have forgotten "how many years ago" events were. The events are clear, but what year they took place in is vague. Did something happen in 2014 or 2015 or 2017? I would need to think hard and count back to get the answer. When I was younger, the answer was on the tip of my tongue. I guess I had less years to look back on.

Surprise Visit

For the past week I have been thinking about one of the young doctors that had worked at my office. She left us about six years ago and opened her own practice. I was telling one of my receptionists about her the other day and we even looked up her website. Her office is in Suffolk county about 30 miles away. I used to be close with her, but for some reason we lost touch. Yesterday I was sitting in  the front office when  young girl walked in. It took a moment to realize that it was her. She brought a platter of cookies for us. I was so surprised as I was thinking of calling her this week to see how she was. She never came to visit before because she thought she would be unwelcome as she left mid contract. Most of the other doctors she worked with are no longer there. She stayed a while and waited to see my boss, who was thrilled to see her. We promised each other we would not lose touch again.

Bricks

When we are young we build our lives like we build a house, brick by brick. The bricks make the foundation for the future. You want to make it sturdy so it can bear the weight if things turn stormy. You spend many years safe and secure in your fortress. As we age, we feel the weight of the bricks upon us. We downsize. As each brick is taken off, we feel relieved. The weight of the world is literally coming off of our shoulders.

Survey

Why do I need to take a survey? At the end of many phone calls, I am asked to stay on the line to take a brief survey. If I have spent an hour on hold why in the world would I want to continue hanging on to answer your questions.You have already wasted a part of my day and I need to move on and continue what I was doing. Why doesn't the company just try to call itself and see how they are doing?

Family Reunion

Yesterday I went with my father to the cemetery to visit my mother. Before my sister and I drove him back home, we passed by to pray for her and remember the wonderful life she had. My father was not sure if he could do this as it is too heart wrenching for him. He realized that if he did not go, it would make him sadder in the long run. When we arrived at the cemetery, it was crowded with funerals so we decided to walk to her gravesite instead of driving to it. We walked the 2 blocks and saw a car approaching and then stopping. The people got out to visit their loved ones.We arrived at her site a minute later and as expected, my father broke down in tears. He was so distraught that my sister and I walked away for a moment to let him have some private time with my mother. As we did that, we heard a voice call my father's name. Walking towards us was my cousin and her family. She was always my father's favorite great niece. The tears dried up and were replaced with a smile. We talked for a while and she said that this is not her usual time or day of the week to come see her mother, my father's niece, who lived in his house prior to his marrying my mother. I just knew that my mother set the timing for the visit, knowing that my father would need to be relieved of his sorrow, if only for a short time. I looked up at the sky and said, "Thanks Mom". At that instant my phone rang with the special ringtone song that usually plays in my car when I need a sign that my mother is with me. It was a call from an unknown number and when I answered it no one was there. My sister then put her hand in her pocketbook to find something and a dime fell into it. That is her sign from my mother. Here is the question: Were these coincidences or signs from above that she is watching over us? I am 100% sure of the answer.

Health

I am becoming a witch doctor. I have decided to take my health into my own hands. Of course I am still taking the prescription medications that my doctors have given me, but I am also adding in a few mixes of my own. My stomach has been a bit off lately so I am drinking a potion that I have mixed up and it seems to be working. After doing online research which is equivalent to a medical degree nowadays, I have concocted a mix that I like. It consists of chamomile tea, matcha tea, bitters and a bit homemade candied orange peel juice for flavoring. It tastes good and has all of the anti inflammatory ingredients for my stomach. So far, so good.